Readers' Letters

Firstly the committee - such a lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes to make this day run smoothly. The organisation was something else. Getting 36 teams of three people around 11 pubs safely is no easy task.

Secondly to Keighley Coug-ars, who were great, helping us out in our hour of need when we were badly let down by Bradford Bulls, who were originally asked to set the ball rolling on the day.

A desperate call to marketing and commercial executive Shelley Messenger at Cougar Park resulted in star player Jason Lee, who unfortunately had a knee operation so could not play at Hull last Sunday, turning up to start the race for us.

I think he may have been a bit surprised at the size of the event. Shelley also supplied us with some Cougar paws for the children and the Cougar Shop were wonderful in lending me a Cougar flag for our pram. They also gave me some sponsor money, as did many people and players at Cougar Park - I am sorry if I was a bit of a pest but it is for charity.

And lastly and probably most of all, to the lovely people who turned up to watch us racing by and were so generous with their money. The people who had to get past the 'new toll road' we set up outside the Bay Horse at Sutton must have wished they had stayed at home! However, if some of you do read this you may realise why we were in a bit of a state (11 pubs in an hour!) and may I assure you all the money collected went into tins or onto sponsor forms.

Hopefully people will stop running away from me when they see me now - I have folded my sponsor form away till next year. Thanks again to everyone for a great day's fundraising.

MAGGIE EDWARDS,

Fold Lane, Cowling.

SIR - I am looking for men and women in their seventies and over, with vivid memories of country life during the first half of the century. This is to help my research for a new Channel 4 series about the social history of the British countryside.

I am particularly interested in stories from the 1920s and 30s of family and community life in the villages and on the farms. In some areas it was a very basic way of life that had changed little for centuries. How strong was the pressure on young people to marry someone suitably local?

Do you have memories of the joys and hardships of working on the land in the days when almost everything was done by hand or by horse? This was a time when there were still hiring fairs, the seasons shaped country people's lives and unemployment meant dire poverty.

I am also keen to hear stories of the advantages and disadvantages of living and working on the old country estates, still ruled by the family in the big house.

If you have personal memories like these, or know of anyone alive who does, please write to me: Hilary Jelbert, Testimony films, 12 Great George Street, Bristol BS1 5RS.

HILARY JELBERT,

Testimony Films.

SIR - I suggest that one of the main reasons for the public's disgust with politicians, at both local and national level, is that the spinning of sickly platitudes and a blank refusal to answer questions as opinioned in the Keighley News, 4.9.98, is the cause.

For instance, all the appalling and bromidic cliches used by Cllr Rooney, deputy chairman of education, confirm some people's view of Bradford's total and utter failure in this, another academic review.

Blatant refusial to address the issues of educational concerns of such people as Joyce Newton and the members of the KEAG group by the Bradford review team has caused alienation. Because of such needless alienation a politician's worth and level of competence is once again, I suggest, regretfully questioned. Cllr Rooney says that the aim of the review is to raise education standards.

Intelligence propounds that closing local rural schools and having children bussing around the area is not the way to achieve such worthy ambitions.

In the Aire-Worth region, at meetings which I attended, there was a conspicuous absence of members of the current ruling political party. On such a momentous issue as the future education of our children it seemed to me that the people's representatives had found other more pressing engagements to attend. Well at least, by such non-appearance, they didn't have to embarrass themselves by spinning platitudes or answering difficult questions.

DAVID SAMUELS,

Station Road, Oxenhope.

SIR - It was good reading to see the wonderful attendance in Devonshire Park for the Highfield People's Action Group fun day event. It is just what Keighley needs - a close to town venue to bring entertainment and activities.

There were people of all ages and races, meeting and sharing the fun, getting to know each other in a good, pleasant surrounding.

Up to the late seventies Devonshire Park brought a lot of pleasure to the people of Highfield. Then the beauty and maintenance was gradually let go. It then sadly became a run down no-go area, brought about by drug using and vandalism and neglect.

Now it is hoped it will be more supervised and used for many more events and activities.

Congratulations to the Highfield group, you have brought life once again to an ideal park near your homes and the town centre. Good luck to you for the future, Keighley needs this kind of enterprise.

M RILEY,

Caister Street, Ingrow.

SIR - I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Keighley Cricket Academy, Keighley Cougars, the local business forum and those other individuals who recently staged a charity cricket match in support of First Key - the National Charity for young people leaving care.

A total of £840 was raised, and this will be spent on our work in the local area.

Young people leaving the care system to live independently, often with little or no support, are amongst the most vulnerable members of our society. First Key works in England and Northern Ireland to improve the life chances of these youngsters, and each year we need to raise in the region of £500,000 to carry out this work. Our Patron, Prince Naseem Hamed, has asked me to pass on his thanks to your readers for their generous support.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the difficulties facing young people leaving care, and about First Key and its work, can contact me at: First Key, Oxford Chambers, Oxford Place, Leeds LS1 3AX.

PETER HARDMAN,

Director, First Key.

SIR - The writer from Silsden is obviously an old time Labour supporter - through thick and thin - no New Labour there.

Therefore, one cannot blame him for his valiant attempt to throw dust in everyone's eyes.

Nowhere has he addressed realistically the issues I raised of failing promises of the Labour Government. Nowhere has he even mentioned or tried to explain the 17 tax increases imposed in the last 18 months. Nowhere has he addressed the attack on private pensions and the fact that those trying to make provision for retirement have to increase their contributions by 30 per cent just to stand still.

Nowhere has he mentioned that since this chain of correspondence started, and directly due to the Labour Govern-ment's financial incompetence, yet even more jobs have been lost - 1500 plus in the North East at Siemens and at Fujitsu in Mr Blair's Sedgefield constituency.

ANNE HAWKESWORTH,

Cllr Ilkley Ward.

SIR - We were very pleased to read of the testimony of Christian Allsworth in the article entitle 'Youngsters have faith in healing' (Midweek, Wed Sept 2).

Yes, it's true that Jesus Christ does heal today.

We're Christians too, and can back Christians up in the fact that we have also seen miraculous healings. We've seen legs that were shorter than the other one grow to the correct length, and even someone raised from the dead!

One healing particularly sticks out in our minds. We went to a Christian convention in Birmingham last year and a preacher laid hands on a man who had a severely damaged eye. He'd had this complaint since childhood. His eye had been full of blood and it gave him terrible headaches. The man was instantly healed when hands were laid on his eye. The man was ecstatic and proceeded to run round the auditorium praising God!

These are not fairy tales, they're real life happenings and no one should feel like they have to go through life suffering, when our saviour, Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead, can heal them.

Christ took all our sicknesses, infirmities, diseases and pains upon Himself on the cross, so we don't have to carry them ourselves.

If you're suffering, please go to a full gospel Christian church that teaches the uncompromised Word of God, including healing, and be blessed! There's a condition though - you must truly believe.

MALCOLM & PENNY

CARFORTH,

Woodside Road, Silsden.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.